Patient lift devices are used to lift and move patients who, typically, are to disabled to get up and move about on their own. There are two broad categories of such devices, namely, fixed and portable. A fixed lift is more or less permanently mounted on a track that is, typically, fixed to a ceiling. A strap for lifting and lowering a patient extends from a lift and carries a patient harness. The lift can extend or retract the strap to lower or lift the patient. The lift is also movable along the track. Typically, both the lift/lower function and the movement along the track are motorized, that is, powered by an electric (or other) motor.
Portable lifts may be used either with a fixed track, or with portable support frames that provide overhead tracks. In either case, the portable lift is typically detachably attachable to the track, and can typically be carried by the caregiver to different locations and used in each of those locations. By extending and retracting the strap, the lift can move the patient up and down. The lift is movable along the track. While the movement along the track may or may not be motorized, the lift/lower function is typically motorized. However, portable lifts with manually-powered lifting capability are also known.
Some portable patient lifts are used in association with portable patient lift support frames. The idea is that a caregiver can carry the support frame, together with the lift, from one patient to the next, and from one location to the next, in order to provide necessary care. Because the installation of fixed tracks and lifts can be very expensive, many patients that may be attended to by a caregiver cannot afford such equipment. As such, their needs can be met by the caregiver using a portable patient lift and support frame.
One example of a portable support frame is shown in U.S. published patent application no. 2007/0274817(“Chepurny”). The support frame of Chepurny comprises two support legs resting on a floor, with a load support member, comprising a track, running between the support legs. The load support member carries a trolley whose function it is to facilitate the movement of a patient along the track. The trolley is configured to carry the portable patient lift, which patient lift is used to lift and lower the patient.
It will be appreciated that, in the field of portable patient lift support frames, the stability of the support frame is a concern. Specifically, given that the support frame is not fixed to any larger structure, steps need to be taken to ensure that the support frame is sufficiently stable and will not fall over. One approach has been to build support frames that not only rest on the floor, but that press against the ceiling for increased stability. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,100 (“Faucher”) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,056. Faucher discloses a support structure with two legs, and a patient-carrying track running between the two legs. The support legs extend upwardly past the track, and terminate at ceiling plates which press up against the ceiling. Thus, when assembled, the support legs press up against the ceiling and down against the floor to provide stability to the support frame.
The support frame disclosed in Faucher is complicated and cumbersome to use. Specifically, on each support leg, there are two sections in telescopic relation, making the legs height adjustable. The height can be macroscopically adjusted by locking the telescopically-related parts of the leg by means of spring loaded lock protrusions that extend through holes in both parts of the leg that line up with one another. The lock holes are distributed intermittently along the length of the two telescopic portions. To change the lock position, the user must press hard against the spring loading with his fingers, force the protrusions inside the holes, manoeuvre the telescopic portions to a new position while avoiding the locks getting caught in the wrong holes, line up the right holes just so, and re-lock the telescopic portions.
Fine adjustment is also required to ensure that the proper pressure against floor and ceiling is obtained. Thus, the two parts of the leg are also rotationally displaceable relative to one another by means of a screw element. The fine adjustment of the height of the leg is done by rotating the two parts relative to one another, which can take a long time and require substantial energy on the part of the user. Both the macroscopic and fine adjustment mechanisms are awkward, slow and cumbersome to use.